Air-suspension module for a rigid axle with simplified installation

Abstract

An air-suspension module for a rigid axle including an air-bellows mount and an air-bellows module supported on the air-bellows mount in the operational state of the air-suspension module, the air-bellows module having an air-suspension bellows designed to change its shape and a supporting body connected to the air-suspension bellows, one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body having a coupling projection protruding along a virtual projection path, which engages with a coupling recess formed at the respectively other component along the projection path, a translatory relative movement of the supporting body being physically limited relative to the air-bellows mount, orthogonally with respect to the projection path and in a direction along the projection path; one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body having a latching body and the respectively other component of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body having a latching recess such that the latching body is in a form-locking latching engagement with the latching recess, so that a translatory relative movement of the supporting body relative to the air-bellows mount is physically limited in the two opposite directions along the projection path.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An air-suspension module for a rigid axle of a commercial motor vehicle, comprising an air-bellows mount and an air-bellows module supported on the air-bellows mount in the operational state of the air-suspension module, the air-bellows module having an air-suspension bellows designed to change its shape and a supporting body connected to the air-suspension bellows, one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body having a coupling projection protruding along a virtual projection path, which in the operational state of the air-suspension module engages with a coupling recess formed on the respectively other component of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body along the projection path, a translatory relative movement of the supporting body, in the operational state of the air-suspension module, being physically limited relative to the air-bellows mount, orthogonally with respect to the projection path and in a direction along the projection path,
 wherein one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body has a latching body and the respectively other component of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body has a latching recess such that in the operational state of the air-suspension module the latching body is in a form-locking latching engagement with the latching recess, so that a translatory relative movement of the supporting body relative to the air-bellows mount is physically limited in the two opposite directions along the projection path wherein at least prior to an insertion of the coupling projection into the coupling recess and thus prior to establishing the latching engagement, at least an engagement section of the latching body, designed for the direct form-locking engagement with the latching recess, is preloaded towards its engagement position and is displaceable from the engagement position against this preload, 
 wherein the engagement section is preloaded by a spring towards the engagement position, 
 wherein the latching body is the spring and the engagement section is a section of the spring, and 
 wherein the spring is a bow spring having two spring legs situated opposite each other across a spring gap and connected to each other by a spring bow, at least one engagement section being formed on each of the spring legs. 
 
     
     
       2. The air-suspension module as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the latching engagement is an insuperable latching engagement. 
     
     
       3. The air-suspension module as recited in  claim 2 , wherein at least prior to an insertion of the coupling projection into the coupling recess and thus prior to establishing the latching engagement, at least an engagement section of the latching body, designed for the direct form-locking engagement with the latching recess, is preloaded towards its engagement position and is displaceable from the engagement position against this preload. 
     
     
       4. The air-suspension module as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the spring is a bow spring having two spring legs situated opposite each other across a spring gap and connected to each other by a spring bow, at least one engagement section being formed on each of the spring legs. 
     
     
       5. The air-suspension module as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the coupling projection is tapered along the projection path in the direction away from its supporting structure and/or the coupling recess widens in the direction toward an insertion opening, through which the coupling projection engages into the coupling recess in the operational state of the air-suspension module. 
     
     
       6. The air-suspension module as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the coupling projection is formed on the air-bellows mount and the coupling recess is formed on the supporting body. 
     
     
       7. The air-suspension module as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the latching body is formed on the supporting body and the latching recess is formed on the coupling projection. 
     
     
       8. The air-suspension module as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the supporting body has an inner body section including the coupling recess and an outer body section surrounding the inner body section. 
     
     
       9. The air-suspension module as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the inner body section and/or the outer body section are sleeve sections. 
     
     
       10. The air-suspension module as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the latching body and the latching recess are surrounded by a section of the supporting body in the operational state of the air-suspension module. 
     
     
       11. The air-suspension module as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the latching body is removable from the rest of the air-suspension module. 
     
     
       12. The air-suspension module as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the latching body is a bow spring having two spring legs situated opposite each other across a spring gap and connected to each other by a spring bow, at least one engagement section being formed on each of the spring legs, and wherein the bow spring as the latching body is withdrawable in a direction crosswise with respect to the projection path both from the coupling recess as well as from the coupling projection engaging in the coupling recess. 
     
     
       13. A rigid axle for a commercial vehicle, comprising an axle body extending along an axle direction and having at least one air-suspension module as recited in  claim 1 , at least one air-bellows mount protruding from the axle body crosswise with respect to the axle direction. 
     
     
       14. An air-suspension module for a rigid axle of a commercial motor vehicle, comprising an air-bellows mount and an air-bellows module supported on the air-bellows mount in the operational state of the air-suspension module, the air-bellows module having an air-suspension bellows designed to change its shape and a supporting body connected to the air-suspension bellows, one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body having a coupling projection protruding along a virtual projection path, which in the operational state of the air-suspension module engages with a coupling recess formed on the respectively other component of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body along the projection path, a translatory relative movement of the supporting body, in the operational state of the air-suspension module, being physically limited relative to the air-bellows mount, orthogonally with respect to the projection path and in a direction along the projection path,
 wherein one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body has a latching body and the respectively other component of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body has a latching recess such that in the operational state of the air-suspension module the latching body is in a form-locking latching engagement with the latching recess, so that a translatory relative movement of the supporting body relative to the air-bellows mount is physically limited in the two opposite directions along the projection path, 
 wherein the coupling projection is tapered along the projection path in the direction away from its supporting structure and/or the coupling recess widens in the direction toward an insertion opening, through which the coupling projection engages into the coupling recess in the operational state of the air-suspension module. 
 
     
     
       15. The air-suspension module as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the coupling projection is formed on the air-bellows mount and the coupling recess is formed on the supporting body. 
     
     
       16. The air-suspension module as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the latching body is formed on the supporting body and the latching recess is formed on the coupling projection. 
     
     
       17. The air-suspension module as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the supporting body has an inner body section including the coupling recess and an outer body section surrounding the inner body section. 
     
     
       18. An air-suspension module for a rigid axle of a commercial motor vehicle, comprising an air-bellows mount and an air-bellows module supported on the air-bellows mount in the operational state of the air-suspension module, the air-bellows module having an air-suspension bellows designed to change its shape and a supporting body connected to the air-suspension bellows, one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body having a coupling projection protruding along a virtual projection path, which in the operational state of the air-suspension module engages with a coupling recess formed on the respectively other component of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body along the projection path, a translatory relative movement of the supporting body, in the operational state of the air-suspension module, being physically limited relative to the air-bellows mount, orthogonally with respect to the projection path and in a direction along the projection path,
 wherein one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body has a latching body and the respectively other component of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body has a latching recess such that in the operational state of the air-suspension module the latching body is in a form-locking latching engagement with the latching recess, so that a translatory relative movement of the supporting body relative to the air-bellows mount is physically limited in the two opposite directions along the projection path, 
 wherein the latching body is removable from the rest of the air-suspension module, 
 wherein the latching body is a bow spring having two spring legs situated opposite each other across a spring gap and connected to each other by a spring bow, at least one engagement section being formed on each of the spring legs, and wherein the bow spring as the latching body is withdrawable in a direction crosswise with respect to the projection path both from the coupling recess as well as from the coupling projection engaging in the coupling recess. 
 
     
     
       19. The air-suspension module as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the coupling projection is tapered along the projection path in the direction away from its supporting structure and/or the coupling recess widens in the direction toward an insertion opening, through which the coupling projection engages into the coupling recess in the operational state of the air-suspension module.